Thing is though noise is bad, it's wasted energy that could be making the car faster. While I love the sound that last years cars made I'm also aware that all that sound is simply wasted energy that could be making the car go faster round the track.

kentmonkey wrote:
"The only way to get more sound out of the cars is to get more revs out of them. More revs means more fuel, which Christian's team knows all about."

Not entirely true, a different diameter exhaust would change things quite a bit, but it would also be impossible at this stage because how the cars are packaged.

True although to be fair to him I think he was talking about 'genuine' sound enhancement, that had an impact on the performance of the vehicle as well, versus something fake that's just there (mainly) to make a car sound different.

While I prefered the sound of the original F1 cars, and can see why those that go to a live event will lose some of the experience (they sounded like motocross bikes at times), if the cars don't need to make that much noise anymore what's the point of making a noise just because? All the while it was there it was fantastic. Now it's not, it's not.

SadPSPAddict wrote:
I just personally don't understand the obsession with the noise the cars make.

Have you ever been to a race? Start aside I can't say I really care much about the TV noise (although it was a disappointment to me), however, at the track it makes up a massive part of the atmosphere and excitement.

Yeah. There was a lovely correlation between the engine noise and the speed. The doppler effect was really pronounced. peeeeeeeeeeeeEEEYOWWWWWWWWwwwww.. lovely. Through your skull and down your spine. You got the impression of an engine at it's absolute limit - massive energy trying to tear the axle off the car, but somehow propelling it forward instead. Listen to that video of Webber starting up the car for the last time, and then revs causing the exhausts to glow white-hot. Thrilling.

Current ones could be high-speed dustcarts, for how they sound. Given how much more torque I imagine they put down, and much more ferocious they should be accelerating, the sound doesn't match the car. It's not special.

SadPSPAddict wrote:
I just personally don't understand the obsession with the noise the cars make.

Have you ever been to a race? Start aside I can't say I really care much about the TV noise (although it was a disappointment to me), however, at the track it makes up a massive part of the atmosphere and excitement.

Yes I have been to races and although I wasn't at Australia to hear the new noise in person I have to disagree that's its a "massive" part. Plays it's part sure but not to the extent people are getting so upset about. Maybe it's just me

Change is always resisted - we'll get used to it in time. noise has always been an integral part of the atmosphere of racing - you can't deny that hearing the scream of these cars apprach didn't create a buzz.

However i don't think they need to be anywhere near as loud as they were, just louder than they are. For me the noise was an extra, what attracted me to F1 originall yin the 80s was the obvious display of skill at keeping these insane cars on the track at the limit - it looked dangerous - that was exciting, the noise was supplementary.

I know it's quite different to cars that have their noise reduced but would a race series comprising of only electric cars appeal to anyone or is that a step too far? I personally would be terribly bored with hardly any noise at all trackside, apart from the sound of tires on the track.

They could increase the sensitivity, but from what I hear from those who were at the track, they're just plain quiet. In the end you'd just increase the level of everything else, which probably wouldn't be ideal.

It's mostly because for the best part of a decade or more F1's signature has really been stupid speeds coupled with ear splitting sound. I wager you could play the sound of a V10 (or V8) wailing past a microphone and nearly everyone would say it was an F1 car. Regardless of volume the new engines just aren't as distinctive.

urban wrote:
I don't get the controversy over how loud the engines are, surely it doesn't matter if they still produce good races?

True, they don't make much difference on TV. I think the real issue is that tracks are worried that they have paid a fortune to host a race and people aren't going to pay £200 a ticket to watch a bunch of cars that are quieter than the local motorway.